KeybladeHolder Blog

Hello everyone!! It has been a long time and once again I am sorry. The last month has been difficult because of final exams and papers I had to write. However, I am now on break until the last week of January 2011 so i will be able to post a bit more. Once again Merry Christmas to all of you (even if you might not celebrate it) and I got a camera for Christmas. I might be able to post pics now in future blogs. Most of the pics may deal with holidays, new games or movies that I get, or maybe just random times with friends.

In terms of gaming, I am currently playing Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Call of Duty: Black Ops. For 360 I recently got Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince. All of the games are good but I am really enjoying Uncharted. I borrowed it from a friend and am planning to buy Uncharted 2 with some of my X-mas money.

This Christmas feels weird because I didn't ask for much but am grateful for what I got. I received a long sleeve polo shirt from my god parents along with $60. My parents got me the camera and $50.

Really looking forward to this break since it feels like I've been doing nothing but studying since the beginning of December.

Hey everyone. I thought I'd do a blog on a game I'm looking forward to. In case some of you have not read some of my blogs from last year, then you might not know that I am a fan of achievements/trophies. Anytime I find a game that provides a challenge and also has attainable achievements/trophies, I definitely consider playing it. Regardless, I still find myself playing games for the sheer joy of playing them.

I view achievements/trophies as a kind of bonus material. My first playthrough will mainly focus on the story of the game. The second playthrough is mostly for getting any achievements/trophies that I missed. The reason for this blog is because of the achievements for Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part I Videogame which comes out tomorrow. (Click here for the list)

A few days ago, The Kinect was finally released and Harry Potter 7 is one of the first games to still have standard gameplay mechanics with a few Kinect modes thrown in. I really would like to own the Kinect but I don't have a lot of money and I'm not sure if my room will be big enough to give me ample space to move around (according to the Kinect camera).

The problem I have is that HP7 Part I has Kinect specific achievements. Without the Kinect, I cannot get the full 1000 gamerscore for the game. Some of you may be saying "So what?" but it annoys me that EA expects me to buy the game and the Kinect in addition just to do this. I appreciate that the game is Kinect compatible but I don't feel that Kinect achievements should be a part of these games (especially this early in the Kinect's release since I don't think everyone can afford or has one)

My only solutions are either to wait till I get the Kinect and then get the game or just get the PS3 version (Most likely option)

Like I said earlier, this is just my view on achievements/trophies. Please don't bash me for my thoughts. However, let me know what your thoughts are on achievements/trophies.

Hey everybody. Here are two more reviews for other demos. As always, please comment and recommend some demos to try out. Enjoy!

Sonic 4: Episode 1

Growing up, I played more with Nintendo than Sega. However, I had some friends that had a Genesis and the past Sonic games. Just like Sonic fans, I too felt that the current Sonic games have not been great. Upon hearing of Sonic 4, I definitely had it on my radar. Right from the start of the level, the past Sonic feel is present. The sense of speed is there and should definitely be played by both new and old Sonic fans. The demo only allows people to play one level. The level harkens back to the first level from the first game. It is as if Sega took the 3D Sonic from Sonic Adventure and put him in a 2D Sonic game.

Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2

I became a big anime fan thanks to the friends I made back in high school. Dragon Ball was one that they all kept talking about but I could never really get into it. Nevertheless, when the Budokai games starting coming out on PS2, I definitely played and enjoyed them. The last DBZ game I played with Budokai Tenkaichi 3 for the Wii. Since then, my interactions with DBZ have been through demos. Raging Blast 2 is a fighting game and the mechanics feel different than previous games. The demo had 4 characters and 2 stages. The can start combos with the [] botton (X on the 360 controller) and use the right stick to pull off special moves. Overall, the game felt decent. I know some friends who have the first game so I might ask them if I could try it out in the future. The graphics are great and definitely capture the look and feel of the series. Anyone who played the Budokai Tenkaichi will most likely feel at home with Raging Blast.

Hey everyone. Once in a while, I might post some impressions of any games or demos that I try out. The blog title should let everyone know what games I have chosen. Most times it will be 2-3 demos. Please read and comment! I will not giving scores to the demos since they are just demos and not the full games. First up,

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Enslaved tells the story of two characters Monkey and Trip trying to get to Trip's home village. The game has a kind of futuristic vibe in that its shows the Statue of Liberty but the rest of New York seems to be covered in grass. Its' as if life has been wiped out on Earth and buildings are either breaking down or collapsing. The demo starts on a slave ship bound for an unknown location. You play as Monkey who has a tail and weilds a giant staff and also guantlets. The combat is pretty basic and there is a lot of platforming. There were times when I was reminded of Prince of Persia. What won me over was the story and its definitely a game I might consider getting once the price goes down.

Star Wars: The Force Unleased II

I'm a major Star Wars fan so of course i had to try this demo as soon as I could. As a sequel, the story picks up right after the first Force Unleashed. [spoiler] Starkiller is a clone that Vader is trying to turn to the dark side but the memories of the original Starkiller are affecting the clone. Vader has made previous clones but killed them each time the memories have changed them. The mini-tutorial has you destroying clone troopers and one of the combat droids turns into Juno Eclipse (Starkiller's love interest). Clone Starkiller cannot bring himself to kill Juno and instead uses Force Lighting on Vader and escapes. [/spoiler] The combat is the same as the first game and the graphics are a bit better. I really want to buy this game whenever I get a chance. I'm saving my money for another game this month so the earliest I could get Force Unleashed II is Christmas. (The reason for the spoiler tag is because some people might not have played the first game so I don't want to spoil the plot for them)

That's it for now. Please comment and let me know if you played any of these demos or recommend any others to try out.

Hey everyone! As promised, here is my wishlist for October 2010. I've decided to do pick of the month for the 3 major consoles (Since I own them) and then list Honorable Mentions. Please comment on the picks and maybe list some of yours in the comment section. Enjoy!

Hey everyone. I haven't posted in about a month and half due to getting ready for the fall semster of college. I haven't forgotten about Gamespot and still check the site at least once a day. Just thought I would post some things that have happened since my last blog post. I got a couple of new games since then. They are:

Prince of Persia (PS3)

Got this game about a week ago and so far it is a blast. First off, the graphics are amazing. I've been wanting to play this game since it came out back in 2008. Currently I am playing through the game trying to collect all 1001 light seeds. Wish me luck! I might try to write a review for PoP when I beat the game.

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (PSP)

I have been waiting for this game for 8 months since it came out in Japan back in January. I immediately bought this on my way home on Sept. 7 after school. Currently, I am playing as Terra and plan to play as Ventus next followed by Aqua. So far, the game is awesome thanks in large part to the story, characters, and music. The only downside I have with the game has to do with the load times. You can actually install the game to a memory stick in order to speed up load times. However, you need about 625 MB of space (A 1 GB memory stick is recommended) The load times shouldn't stop anyone from enjoying the game. I actually haven't played Birth by Sleep in a few days but I planning to soon.

I am planning on restarting my monthly wish lists soon. For those who don't know, I used to look at the release dates of games for each month and list the games that I was looking forward to. Being halfway through September, my first month wishlist would be for October.

Hello Everyone! It feels like ages since I've blogged. I've been busy hanging with friends and getting things ready for my next semester of college. Anyway, I've been able to watch a few new movies and actually read some books. I'm going to review them a bit and let me know what you think. Also, feel free to recommend any books that might be worth reading. (Open to any book except Twilight!)

When the first Percy Jackson book was made into a movie, I decided to read the book first. I'm a big fan of Greek Mythology so the series instantly drew me in. For those unaware, the series is about a boy named Percy Jackson so finds out that he is the son of Posedion and that he is a demigod (half human, half god) He is taken to a camp made specifically for demigods where he meets other kids like him. The first book had Percy go on a quest to return Zeus' Lightning Bolt before a war breaks out between the gods. In the second book (above), the camp's magic barrier (Thalia's Tree) has been damaged and Percy must recover an item that can help restore the barrier. The second book was good but I kind of liked the first one better. I finished the Sea of Monsters in two days and as a continuation of the main story, it does a great job. The twists and ending caught me off guard and I'll be reading the third book soon.

Rating: 4/5

Now, this is a book series that I never heard of. It was recommended to me by my friend @VideoGamerNerd. It all started after she invited me to a union made about the book. I haven't finished the book yet (up to Chap. 21 so far) but it is keeping me interested. At first, I started reading just to at least get a feel for the book. However, once Will (The main character) started working with Halt (A Ranger) and I definitely felt like the book was finally picking up and now I can't wait to finish it. The story revolves around a 15 year old named Will who has no parents and is living with a baron. Eventually, he is chosen by Halt to become a Ranger's apprentice. For me, the rangers seem to be a mix between the assassins from Assassin's Creed and Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell. At first, Halt came off as sort of an apathetic character but he is definitely opening up to Will. I can't really rate the book since I haven't finished it but I really want to keep reading see what happens next.

Hey everyone!! Its been a crazy week in the world of gaming. As I'm sure you're aware, E3 has come and gone and all I can say is IT WAS AWESOME!!! In this blog I will review most of the major press conferences and a follow-up blog with my most anticipated games. So, please read on and comment!!

Microsoft Press Conference

The press conference started off with a trailer and gameplay footage of CoD: Black Ops. The game looks really good and I haven't played a CoD game made by Treyarch since CoD 3. Metal Gear Solid: Rising looks interesting and you can tell it might incorporate Kinect into the gameplay. When Cliffy B showed up and showed gameplay of Gears of War 3, I was definitely excited. Gears of War was the first 360 game I got back in 2006 and I'm looking forward to how the story will wrap up. Fable III was kind of meh for me because I've never played Fable before. Halo: Reach looks great and something I would definitely want to play in the fall. The Kinect demonstration actually made me more interested in it than last year. However, I think the price will be the deciding factor on when I'll buy it. ESPN on 360 was great to hear since I like watching sports once in a while. The final part of the conference was the unveiling of the new 360. Personally, I'm glad to see that it has built-in WIFI and a 250 GB Hard Drive along with being whisper quiet. However, I'm not running out to spend $300 on a new console since my current 360 still works. Plus, the new 360 just came out and despite the improvements, I still think there will be some issues with it. All in all, Microsoft had a great conference and I can't wait to see all the new games hit the market.

Rating: 8/10

Nintendo Press Conference

Last year's Nintendo was ok but this year conference was much better. Never been a big fan of Legend of Zelda but Skyward Sword looks like a game I would definitely want to play. The demo onstage seemed flawed but I'm sure the full game will be good. Next up was Mario Sports Mix which I'm actually looking forward to. Been a big fan of most of the Mario sports games since Mario Tennis on N64. Wii Party and Just Dance 2 were when I felt the conference was kind of starting to get boring. Golden Sun Dark Dawn looks ok but never been a big fan of it. The reveal of Goldeneye for the Wii blew my mind. I remember playing Goldeneye for the N64 when I was younger and it was a great game. Heard a lot about Epic Mickey and I'm really looking forward to it and getting rid of the Evil Mickey makes me indifferent about it. The introduction of a new Kirby game for the Wii caught me off guard and I really like the art direction. Metroid: Other M looks interesting but I might wait for a slight price drop. Donkey Kong Country Returns was great and definitely a game I have to buy for Christmas. The 3DS was something I was unsure about because I'm not a fan of 3D at home. In the movies its fine but having to wear two pairs of glasses feels cumbersome. I will say though that the presentation has somewhat convinced me and since I sold my DS Lite I might buy a 3DS in the future. Nintendo had a great conference full of many surprises and best of all, it put me on a trip down memory lane.

Rating: 9/10

Sony Press Conference

Sony had a great conference and all of the suprises were awesome. The Playstaton Move controller keeps amazing me with how accurate it seems to be with movement. Sorcery looks like a really good game and the motion controls really seem to be 1:1. Kevin Butler was funny with his speech however, this also caused a problem with me. At times, it felt like Sony was acting like the high school jock. It seems to brag about how awesome it is, rubbing the Move controller in the faces of everyone. I am not a fan of the console war. The Wii, 360, PS3 all have games I really want to play and I don't like it when fanboys say how much their console dominates over the others. This happened when Sony poked fun at Wii for the boxing in Wii Sports. No matter what, I'll still play games regardless of the console. The reveal of the bundles and prices for the Move kind of solidifes my thought that I could purchase it in the future.The biggest moment for me had to be the reveal of Twisted Metal. Sweet Tooth coming out in an ice cream truck was awesome and the gameplay looks great. I really want to try Nuke mode. Sony had a great conference and PSP getting more games is great because I haven't played my PSP in a while. Looking forward to Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep.

Rating: 9/10

The three conferences were all great and really make me look forward to the fall and holiday season. As always, please comment and share your thoughts on E3. Thanks for reading!!

Hey everyone! Sorry for the late blog. The thing is I wanted to make sure that the big reveal actually happened before I wrote another blog. Long story short is I finally got a PS3!!! :D I'm so excited right now! I got the PS3 last Friday after trying to find it in almost every major store in my area. (namely, Best Buy, Target, and Gamestop) I found the system in Gamestop and the guy behind the counter told me that there were only two left in the store. (Talk about luck!) The game I got for it is God of War III.

I got the PS3 Slim with a 120 GB Hard Drive. In addition, I had to go out and buy new component cables to improve the picture on my screen. The PS3 looked great with the standard cables but it looks much better in 720p.

As stated before, I got God of War III with the PS3 as my first game! It was a tough choice between GoW III and Red Dead Redemption. I went with GoW III because I'm a big fan of Greek Mythology (I actually just finished taking a course on it LOL) and because I want to see how the story wraps up. I haven't played the game yet, but I plan to start tomorrow since I took my last final today and am now free to enjoy my summer break!

The Ps3 is special to me because it is the first console I bought with my own money. It was money I had saved up from past birthdays and christmases. I even sold my DS to my little cousin to get some more money for the purchase. (In reality, my mom bought me the system on her way home from work but the money used was all mine.)

That's it for this blog! Thanks for reading and please comment!

P.S. I am planning on doing a series of blogs about the demos of PS3 exclusives (Uncharted, Killzone 2. etc.) and giving my impressions on them.